Bari Bari Steak, a teppan (‘iron plate’ in Japanese) steak concept from Hong Kong, has landed in Singapore and is now serving up sizzling sirloins at its first international outlet in Tampines One. With a menu that lists premium Japanese A4 and A5 Miyazaki wagyu together with other cuts and proteins like pork, chicken and salmon, the outlet also offers a free-flow salad bar that is bound to keep diners coming back for more.
Bari Bari Steak’s first international outpost at Tampines One. Photo © Fen Chia
Each order of a teppan set grants access to the generous salad bar, though it is also available à la carte (S$12.90 for adults, and S$6.90 for children 7 years and below or under 120cm). While I had expected the salad bar offerings to be rather simple, I was surprised that besides greens, it also features carbs, fruit, eggs and dessert. The coffee jelly is quite popular.
Before my mains arrived, I found myself piling on the soba, edamame, macaroni salad and spaghetti. So rein yourself in or you might end up having a salad dinner instead. If you are heading to Bari Bari Steak as a family with children, the salad bar is also a good option for the young ones who may not appreciate the teppan.
The salad bar serves as a fruit and dessert bar as well. Photo © Fen Chia
After quite a bit of the salad bar, we moved on to our mains. The key highlight on the menu is the beef ‘teppan’ dishes, where all the cuts are served medium rare. The beef are first seared on an iron griddle before they are served on a hot stone heated up to 300°C that allows you to complete the cooking how you like it.
While the premium cut is the award-winning Japanese A4 and A5 Miyazakigyu with its exceptional marbling (160g, S$58), a strong competitor with excellent value is the Oyster Blade Teppan (160g S$25.90, 200g S$26.90 for Australian, 160g S$26.90, 200g S$28.90 for Australian Angus Oyster Blade Steak Teppan, and 160g S$25.90, 200g S$27.90 for Argentinian Oyster Blade Steak Teppan).
When ours arrived, it was topped with some garlic herb butter. We further complimented our beef with sauces like Signature Homemade Bari Bari Sauce, Miyazaki Yakiniku Sauce, Premium Okinawa Salt, Yuzu Onion Sauce, and Wasabi Sauce. My favourites were the first two, which I found to be most savoury and umami.
The Oyster Blade Teppan. Photo © Fen Chia
The teppan steaks arrive very rare, but you cook them to your preferred doneness. Photo © Fen Chia
I enjoy a good steak but I’m not the purist that eats it rare. So, the hot stone suited me perfectly, since I could cook it to my preferred doneness as the high-density hot stone continued to sizzle long after the hotplate did. Still, being distracted by all my photo taking, I took really long before I got down to eating, and the servers promptly replaced the stone pellet with another sizzling one. The ability to cater to a wide range of doneness preferences is definitely a highlight of ordering a teppan steak.
The unique machine that heats up the high density hot stone pellets, which can be replaced in the unlikely event yours runs out of steam before you’re done. Photo © Fen Chia
We also ordered the Chicken Leg and Wagyu Hamburg Steak Teppan (S$23.90) which is a good option for variety. Unlike the steak cuts, this does not come with a hot stone. I do have reservations about chicken thighs as they are sometimes not cooked through, but this one was and the meats were tender. What we had was substantial enough such that we did not order rice bowls, which Bari Bari Steak also specialises in. It serves up a range of donburi with pork, chicken or beef. Note that each order of a Don does not come with access to the free-flow salad bar, but diners can enjoy it at 50%off on weekdays (excluding public holidays).
Chicken Leg & Wagyu Hamburg Steak Teppan. Photo © Fen Chia
Iberico Hoho Don, one of many rice bowl options at Bari Bari Steak.
We were already quite filled up from the salad bar and our mains, but we were still keen to try a few sides. Our orders of Aka Tai No Shochu Jikomi (Grilled red snapper, S$12.90) and Grilled Ika (S$9.90), were unremarkable, being dry and not quite hot when served. If the seafood was from a fresh catch and not frozen, it was not evident from the mouthfeel. I would at my next visit instead go for the pork or Suji Nikomi Beef Tender (beef tendon simmered in a rich savoury broth, S$12.90), which we missed as it was on the last page alongside gyoza options.
Aka Tai No Shochu Jikomi. Photo © Fen Chia.
Grilled Ika. Photo © Fen Chia.
At Bari Bari Steak, the alcohol menu is equally extensive. Pair your meal with wine from multiple estates, shochu blended wine, umeshu plum wine, sake, beers, cocktails or highballs. Fruit juice and mocktails and soft drinks are also available for the teetotalers, though the real steal here are the 1-for-1 promotions on selected highballs, beers, sake, cocktails and house pours available all day with any order of a side dish. Catch this deal while it lasts, which makes Bari Bari Steak equally suited if you are seeking to chill out over an izakaya style dining experience with drinks.
A Miyabi Sunrise Mocktail (and hot tea in the background). Photo © Fen Chia
Bari Bari Steak offers a great range of affordable premium meats in the Singapore heartland, and can cater to different dining needs, whether it is an indulgence for the serious steak lover, a family dinner, or a casual catch-up with friends over drinks.
Bari Bari Steak
10 Tampines Central
#01-24/25/26,
Tampines 1,
Singapore 529536
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm daily
